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AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Akaroa Borough Council waa held on Monday evening. Present—Hia Worship the Mayor and Crg Noonan, Fyfe, Penlington, Canh-ell, Fredericksen, Leefce and Munro.

The Returning Officer reported the election of Ut W. H. Henning to the Council.

Or Henning made tho required din olaration and took hia seat.

A letter wag received from the Akaroa Domain Tenuis Club, asking for permission to hold a gift auction in the Domain on Monday, December 27tb (Boxing Day), and to be allowed to charge for games of tennis, the proceeds to bs in aid of No 1 Penin sula Soldiers' Queen

The Mayor moved and Or Williams seconded, that the Domain Tennis Club be informed that the Council do not object to their using the courts as requested.

Carried. Or Fredpricksen stated that the Ayimers Valley reservoir was very low, and something would have to be done with reference to conserving the water. Or Henning said on several occa sions he had visited the reservoir, and nottd the quantity of water It had receded from 9 inches to 2 feet.

Or Leete raoved that use of pipe and hose for watering purposes be prohibited until further notice.

Spconded by O Fredericksen and carried.

Messrs A. J Turner and G. Checkley waited on the Council with reference to the electric current supplied to the Butter Factory. Mr Turner said that the company realised the Council's difficulties on account of the shortage of water, and the direc tors were prepared to offer some induce menfc to the Borough to enable them to get an engine to tide them over the dry spell. The proposition would be that the directors would advance a eura of money toaseist the Coun cil in purchasing a suitable engine, the advance to be repaid by the use of current by the company.

The Council fchun considered the offer of Messrs Anderson's Ltd. to supply a 30 h,p. oil engine at a cost of £489, and in the course of the engine's construction to loan a 21 h.p oil engine for tbo sum of £40, the freight, etc, to be £12, making a total cost of £562.

/Or Leete moved that Messrs Ander son'a offer be accepted at the total cost of £562.

Seconded by Of Williams, ' The Mayor's attention was drawn to tbo fact that Or Williams, bb a director of the Akaroa Butter Factory, was financially interested in the discussion re electric light as the Butter Factory was the largest consumer of power. Or Williams said he considered the statement very far fetched, and declared that the councillors who pointed this out should have said so at the beginning of the discussion. Hβ was willing to bear the brunt of seconding the motion. He also said that ho considered fens interests of the Borough far above those of the factory in which be had shares.

Or Fyfrt said bn ooinion that the auuninu; off of all poivor .win su much ftgaioer. bririg-ng Litk l 0 iloidge to the Borough

Or Punlingron said hii opinion was that the creek-i would give oir. alto getber if the warm dry weather cm tinued, and that they wonUl have no water at all.

Cr Munro considered that th« of power had not sufficient notice lo make other arrangements

Or Henning's amendment was put and lost, the voting being as follows : Against (5). Gra L«ete, Fyfe, Piling ton, Munro and Noooao ; for, Oftnfcrall, Fredericks and Banning. Or Leete naid that pyrhaps Ors did not understand that tin esr.ru reveaue from the electric currpnt would bring in £800 at the end of next quarter. They would not have to pay the £562 over till after three months ware past and could easily pay for same out of revenue from the light. Ho added that the oil engine purchased could be resold at 10 per cent per annum depreciation when the Lake Ooleridge system came in The Government would probably bring the Lake Coleridge ourrenfc over to Akaroa, and the Council should retain its power for sale Or Leete's motion wa? put and car ried by 5 votes to 4, the voting being : For the rao'ion, Grs. Leete, Noonan, Fyfe, Munro and Penlington ; ngainst, tba Mayor, and Crs Cantrull, Frederick sen, and Henning.' Or Leefce read a letter from Mr Birks offering to forward a watt metre to the Council. Tnis would enable the engineer to estimate exactly how much ourrent was being eonsuimd, He moved the offer be accepted with thanks.

Becpnded by Or Williams and ear ried.

Cr Henning moved that the £5G2 be raised by special lonn to give ratepayers a cbanca to express an opinion OD the matter.

The motion lapsed. The Mayor sniirl be though. ,l it would be wise to consult the ratepayers on the subject of the purchase of tbis engirie. He moved that a meeting of ratepayers be called for Tuesday, Dα camber 28 tb, at 8 p in. to discuss the desirability of the Council going into the question of borrowing , £562 to procure an engine to iingcnunt our present electric light plint Seconded by Or Cantrell aud oar. ried, Cr Leete dissenting. The Mayor wished tbo Councillors a Merry Christmas and a H»ppy Nuw Year, and expressed the bop?, that ihf war would b» over before next Christmas came round.

The meeting then terminated

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